


Young, Dumb, Broke [High School Kid]

by onemoredae



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Chanyeol and Jongin are thing, Fluff, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, but they're adorable so pls love them, so are Jungkook and Seokmin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 07:09:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14100075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onemoredae/pseuds/onemoredae
Summary: This is terrible. And I'm sorry, but this is made from love.But pls love this as much as I had fun writing it.





	Young, Dumb, Broke [High School Kid]

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caterplina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterplina/gifts).



They’re the ages of six, and eight. Vernon had just moved, just settled into his new home, all the way across the ocean.

His father had some big breakthrough, where he and his Very Pregnant wife and son just  _ had _ to move continents. Outrageous, Vernon thinks. He  _ just _ got used to his friends in his first year of grade school, when Father decided to move.

Now? Now he’s in an unfamiliar town, on an unfamiliar street, where people talk in funny accents (his mother has an accent but it’s a beautiful accent, Vernon thinks. His mother’s English is flawless but yet her Korean accent is still strong and Vernon gushes over it every day. He makes a point to tell his Eomma that she’s beautiful. Even if his baby sister is bruising her insides.) Vernon doesn’t get it. It’s raining eighty percent of the time, and when it’s not it’s chilly. Even in summer. The summer months even have wind chill. New York never had this.

It’s his third day in his new home, boxes all put away and Father just finished Vernon’s registration for school, when there’s a knock on the door and a family of two are at the threshold. A mother and son. They introduce themselves as the Wu’s. The boy introduces himself as Minghao.

Eomma is enthusiastic, ushering Vernon to put down the cars and come over to meet the neighbours. Vernon looked at the tall boy, shaggy hair. All skin and bone. But he knew, the moment he looked at Minghao, they were going to get into lots and lots of mischief.

Snow. Vernon has seen it every year in New York, but to Minghao, it’s like the Heavens are falling from the sky. It’s the weekend, so Minghao, like always, stays over at Vernon’s. On Friday, Minghao does his school work at home, and by dinner time he’s running three doors down to Vernon’s. Saturday when they went to sleep (read: stayed up until midnight working on Minghao’s English with Marvel comic books) there was no snow, but now at dawn, there is a good six inches sticking to the ground and Minghao is in it before he’s even out of his pyjamas. Eomma screeches, something about getting chills and then getting sick. Vernon pays no mind. He’s too busy running out into the chill as well to pelt his best friend with wimpy constructed snowballs.

Eomma yanks them up by their breeches and pulls them into the warmth of their home before either boy can start making snow angels or snow men. Bundles them up after two or three mugs of soup to keep them warm, and sends them outside.

‘We never had anything like this in my town.’ Minghao comments, rolling a small ball of snow in his mitten before letting it drop to the ground, and picks up another handful, larger than the last. And repeats the process. ‘I’ve wanted to see snow, but Mama and I couldn’t afford to train up north and see it. Even if it was just a…’ He pauses, searching for the next word. ‘few miles,’ he smiles after continuing his sentence, like he was happy with the word choice he made, ‘I was happy where we were. Just Mama and I.’ Vernon’s hear softens. Minghao’s love for his mother will never die, Vernon guesses. He even loves his mother so much; he won’t say mother in English. During their lessons, Minghao always talks with a perfect American accent, just like Vernon taught him, but when it comes to the word  _ Mama _ , he says the word in his native tongue. Stresses the a’s. Minghao thought Vernon would be upset, if Minghao used mother in his native tongue, but Vernon waved him off dismissively, saying he says mother in his mother’s native tongue, which he’s been teaching some Korean to Minghao too. They learn and grow together. Something that Vernon’s mother is very fond of.

Vernon searches for twigs, ‘Then let’s make snowmen, just for the fun of it!’

‘Who should we make into snowmen?’ Minghao looks confused, like they need to model their snowmen after someone.

‘No one really, there’s no one you really need to model it after. I have fun with it and make whomever I want. I even make names for them. Once, like, last year, I made a whole family. Called them the Smiths. Like after the movie yanno? Eomma scolded me and said I shouldn’t be watching such violent movies, but Father told me it was OK. Eomma eventually was OK with it.’ Vernon rattles while he rolls his snowman’s head into shape. He can’t feel his nose, but he can tell it’s running. He wipes under his nose and his mitten is wet. They’ve been out here for too long. But their snowmen aren’t done yet. They haven’t even started. He and Minghao will go inside when their snowmen are completed. Or, that’s what Vernon thinks. Eomma runs outside in the snow in her house shoes, screeching how their lips are blue and they need to get inside.

‘But Eomma, Vernon and I are almost done with our snowmen! I haven’t made one before and Vernon was nice enough to show me how.’ If looks could kill, Minghao would be thousands of feet sunk in the sea. Vernon hears his mother sigh.

‘Ten minutes. I’ll have hot chocolate and soup ready for you in the dining room. Do  _ not _ forget to take your shoes off when you enter the door, I don’t want to mop up mud and snow. Again.’ She shakes her head, two of her curlers falling loose. The laugh lines are visible on her face and the dark bruises under her eyes are more noticeable. The baby is having a toll on her body, Vernon thinks that his baby sister is going to be the last sibling he has.

He voices this to Minghao when Eomma retreats back into the warmth.

‘I wish I had a sibling.’ Is Minghao’s comment.

‘But we’re siblings. I’m your younger brother, and my sister is our baby sister.’ Minghao’s face lights up like the Christmas lights on each house this season. He wipes the snot running down his nose with his mitten, and turns to put eyes and a mouth on his snowman. ‘I’ll be the best big brother to you and sister. Just you wait.’

\--

One winter later, Minghao starts to change. It’s a drastic change. Vernon still can’t get the memory out of his nervous system. Another snowstorm, like England always has that one major snowstorm in the winter, and Minghao can’t stay over for almost a week and a half. Once it clears, only ice and snow on the ground, does Miss Wu let Minghao come cover. His cheeks are a little flushed, and he’s grinning from ear to ear. That familiar mischievous smirk is on his face, one that Vernon knows all too well.

‘Vernon, look at this.’ He says above a whisper, like he’s terrified that someone will eavesdrop. Minghao shuffles in his snow boots to the edge of the road, where most of the snow and ice have melted into small puddles. It’s cold, but not cold enough to freeze back over. He sniffles, and wipes his nose with the back of his mitten, then slides it off. Minghao crouches down, bare hand turning angry red in the cold, and hovers right above a small puddle of water. A long finger reaches out, and touches the puddle. Both it and the surrounding area freeze.

‘Oh, my god.’ Vernon is in awe. His brother just froze water.

‘But wait,’ Minghao lingers. He looks at the frozen water again, and concentrates. His brows knit together and he never takes his eyes off his finger. It melts. The water, including part of the snow on the sidewalk melt back into water. ‘I warmed it to room temperature.’ Minghao smiles proudly, but soon falls when he sees Vernon looking at him with wide eyes and open lips.

‘How?’ is the only word out of his mouth.

‘Mum told me I was special,’ he wrings his gloved hand over his bare one, the pink and red tent gone from his hand. ‘I woke up the first day of the storm like this. Well, not exactly, I felt sick all morning long, and after almost falling into the Lou because my tummy hurt so bad, I started to do. Things.’ Minghao shifts nervously from one foot to the other, waiting for Vernon to say something. 

The same exact mischievous smile widens on Vernon’s face. ‘Let’s go mess with people.’

It’s subtle, at first. Minghao takes his time to learn how to do simple things, moving objects, melting or freezing water, but it takes a great amount of mental effort. So, they must do the most extreme prank that they can. From making people trip over untied shoe laces, slipping on ice after getting out their car, or even moving the cart from one side of the isle to the other, they manage to do it. But after the Great Cart Collide, they never try to move objects again.

That is, until Minghao finds out that Vernon is being bullied. 

\--

Minghao, is just about to turn eleven, and Vernon had just turned ten. Vernon comes home from school each day, holding his arms in his hands. His mother says nothing, but of course, Minghao has to put himself in the middle. ‘They haven’t stopped, have they?’ Vernon sniffles and tries to hold in his tears, his mother says that boys cry, and that Vernon isn’t a boy, that he is about to be a young man, and that he can take the teasing at school. But in reality, Vernon really can’t. Not the physical abuse anyway. The verbal abuse Vernon can give back just has much, if not worse. Minghao was always admirable of the younger’s wittiness. Minghao was never good with his words, or convey his feelings into verbage, so he relies on Vernon a lot to help with what he’s trying to say. The look of defeat is what sets Minghao over the edge.

‘Show them to me tomorrow on lunch break. It’s time to give those bullies a lesson,’ when Minghao pops his knuckles in what looks like a menacing scowl, Vernon barely registers the thunder in the distance.

‘What! No! We’ll get in trouble if we use your super powers! Not if they’re hurting my best friend they’re not.’

And it goes like this for not one, but two days. The first day Minghao decided to fuck with his fellow fifth graders during lunch hour was to create little puddles on the floor, and howl in laughter when one slipped, tray full of food and onto their uniform. It was more hilarious to watch said boy, Dong Sicheng, be pulled out the door by his ear, his aunt fifty shades of red and screaming curses that Minghao can only understand, which makes him laugh harder. Poor Vernon looks confused. It’s not until Vernon shares the same laugh until they walk home that day, and Minghao finally spills the beans on Sicheng’s aunt’s colourful language.

The second time Minghao decided to use his powers against humanity, was against Sicheng’s friend, Jung Yoonho, a mudslide experience when everyone was done with lunch, and went out the hill to play. Once Yoonho got up to the top of the hill, Minghao has his fist balled, like he wants to punch something, tension in his body high. And as soon as he was going to shout something to the pretty sixth grade girl, Minghao lets the tension in his hand go and Yoonho’s feet come out from beneath him. He’s sitting next to his best friend, who also happens to be friends with Yoonho, and they both howl in laughter. Jeongguk throws an arm around Minghao as he leans against his best friend, his sides hurting from laughing so hard. Vernon is walking outside when the duo are killing their lungs, and is Majorly Confused, until, he looks at his bully, then he really can’t help but let out his laughter. From head to toe the boy is covered in mud and clay, but he happens to be standing right in front of the girl who’s attention he was trying to get too. She has her nose up in disgust, clearly Yoonho has something more than mud and clay on him, and turns on her heels to leave.

Yoonho leaves to go home with his tail between his legs.

Jeongguk wants to know all about it, being the nosy little shit that he is. Seokmin flanks him on his right and if Vernon didn’t know better they were trying to refrain from holding hands. Again, ten year old Vernon is Very Confused. It’s not often he sees someone holding hands or hugging, he sees it sometimes when he’s over at Minghao’s. His mother with hug either Vernon or Minghao, but the unknown territory of  _ feelings  _ is still there. Vernon feels what he feels in the moment, and reacts accordingly, such as this moment, where he turns away with a light dusting of pink across his cheeks. Embarrassed of not knowing how to react around Jeongguk and Seokmin.

 

Seokmin laughs first before Minghao even finishes his story, loud clapping echoing louder than necessary. Jeongguk follows suit, all over Seokmin’s lap and the floor, hiccuping laughter brings a smile to Vernon’s face. ‘The bastard got what he deserved.’ Seokmin is smiling wide when he speaks, tummy hurting from laughing so hard. Vernon gasps.

 

‘We aren’t supposed to speak like that Minnie! We’re  _ gentleman _ .’

 

‘Gentleman according to this black hole of a private institution. I’d rather be in a public classroom than here. I can speak however I want.’

 

Jeongguk leans over to whisper in Minghao’s ear. ‘Tell me Hao-Hao, what did you do  _ specifically _ to make the dumbass fall to his doom?’ And so Minghao spills. About his special powers and how he started to control them.

 

‘I don’t believe it.’ Seokmin sits up, back straight and legs crossed, arms folded under his chest.

 

Vernon feels a sense of dread in his gut. He knows Seokmin and Jeongguk will keep a secret, Scouts Honour you know, but to  _ prove _ Minghao’s abilities are more difficult than Vernon can explain. Minghao then mimics Seokmin’s posture, eyes closed. Focused. 

 

Clouds rumble in. Dark blues and greys darken the football arena. The players on the field come to an abrupt halt, the goalie running for shelter. The first bolt of lightning strikes when Minghao twitches his eyebrow, the stands on the away side of the stadium light up in sparks. Seokmin screeches and jumps in Jeongguk’s lap. In an instant, the clouds disappear when Minghao opens his eyes. ‘It took me weeks to perfect that,’ he pouts. ‘Everytime I go to strike lightning it always hits the ground.’

 

Seokmin want to cry.

 

‘Minghao this is brilliant.’ Jeongguk is smiling his million megawatt smile.

 

‘Brilliant indeed, but dangerous if not contained.’ a deep voice makes the four of them jump, and a tall figure comes out from behind a cemented pillar. A dragon the size of the man’s torso is wrapped around his shoulders. Pearlescent scales glimmer in the sunlight, golden claws rest gently on the man’s shoulder. ‘Chanyeol’s the name, creatures are my game.’ His smile is blinding as his dragon. ‘Don’t let Jongin fool you, he wanted to come along but doesn’t want to ride in the passenger side of the motorbike. He’s actually a wizard like I,’ Chanyeol pecks Jongin’s jaw and scratches under his chin. Jongin rumbles contently.

 

Seokmin wants to faint. Jeongguk can’t keep his mouth shut. His jaw hangs open and the first thing out of his mouth is, ‘Bloody hell, you actually are a-a-’

 

‘Wizard? Yes.’ Chanyeol smiles brightly, his long braided hair is over one shoulder, and Jongin tries to eat it. This doesn’t bode well for Chanyeol, so he swats at the wizard. ‘Off will, ya? I don’t want you to singe my hair again.’ Jongin’s wide pupils turn into slits, and in a heartbeat is off Chanyeol’s shoulder and is standing six foot tall. A tanned, handsome man. Jongin rolls his neck to pop the joins and fixes the lapels of his petticoat.

 

‘It was an accident I swear.’ His Korean as an accent to it, Irish, Vernon deduces. Vernon gathers that who ever they work for, is a global place, because Vernon was expecting English or even Scottish accents. Irish isn’t uncommon, but it tends to throw him off sometimes, clearly not use to the diversity of England.

 

‘Accident my arse,’ Chanyeol ignores the indignant  _ language there are children here _ , from Jongin, and turns to look at Minghao. ‘We actually came for you, Mr. Wu, we have seen that you haven’t collected our letter from Hogwarts when your powers first came, so we gave it sometime, and Myeonnie is a little worried.’

 

‘Myeonnie?’ Seokmin asks, completely knocked out of his daze.

 

‘Professor Junmyeon, Headmaster of Hogwarts.’ Jongin helpfully supplies.

 

‘Hog-who?’ Jeongguk looks just as confused as the other three do.

 

‘Honestly why are we talking to three muggles?’ Jongin huffs in irritation. Chanyeol tuts.

 

‘Are you blind? They’re not muggles. They’re wizards, the lot of them.’ Vernon rolls his eyes and sniffs.

 

‘But we haven’t any powers, not like Minghao. Clearly you’re mistaken.’

 

‘And clearly you can’t listen to your body.’ Chanyeol fires back, this throws Vernon in to left field. Listen to his body? How can he when he’s been bullied left and right. ‘New studies have shown that wizards can tell that they are wizards before powers start to show. Older, much wiser wizards can sense those around them that are. This is an evolution tactic our bodies made after the war with You-Know-Who,’

 

‘I can’t believe you still call him that.’ Jongin intervenes.

 

‘There is tradition that Headmaster Junmyeon would like to keep, and sending letters out to children who have discovered their wizarding abilities is one of them, instead of scouting them like I will with the two of you,’ Chanyeol ignores his partner and points to Jeongguk and Seokmin.

 

‘Why not Vernon?’ Jeongguk spats in Korean, clearly disturbed.

 

‘Vernon is not of age. For those to be arriving at Hogwarts must be at age eleven.’ Jongin sits next to Vernon, who can’t help but look down in thought, what will happen to him now? His powers won’t show up for almost another year, and the bullies will come to him tenfold now that Minghao is gone.

 

‘That’s only a handful of months, you can handle that right Vernon?’ Chanyeol stands behind Vernon, and he feels cornered.

 

‘No, I cannot actually.’ Vernon’s panic is evident through his voice. ‘They’ll come back for me.’

 

‘They?’

 

‘He’s been having trouble with bullies,’ Minghao sounds quiet, but they hear him loud and clear. ‘I’ve been keeping them away.’

 

‘So I’ve heard. Tell me, Minghao, what have you done to these... _ bullies _ ?’ Jongin isn’t condescending, just curious about why they use such a word for mischievous little boys.

 

And so Minghao launches into his stories once again. By the end of it, Chanyeol is grinning from ear to ear, sitting next to Jongin. ‘Myeonnie tells us that we shouldn’t use our powers in the sight if muggles, but by golly, you did good Minghao. Vernon, I’m sure you won’t have any problems with bullies from now on, but if you ever do,’ he winks and Vernon grins.

 

‘I think his powers will be here in no time. Just like these leeches,’ Minghao pokes at Jeongguk and Seokmin. ‘But in the meantime, watch out for him ok?’ Minghao has been the older brother to Vernon, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

 

Chanyeol leaves with Jongin, Minghao in tow, they give each other hugs good-byes and Minghao leaves a playful kiss on Vernon’s cheek. ‘Tell Eomma that I’ll send messages when I can,’

 

‘We have to get you an owl first before you start sending letters.’

 

‘We can’t use phones?’ Minghao looks flabbergasted.

 

‘Those hand-held things that muggles use? No way! I told you-Professor Junmyeon is very traditional.’

 

Vernon lets out a bark of a laugh at his hyung’s faces. He pulls Jeongguk and Seokmin away before Minghao gets in trouble again. ‘Have fun at your new school Minghao! I’m sure I’ll see you soon!’

 

-

 

Soon, turned out to be later than Vernon thought. Not five months after Minghao left for Hogwarts, Jeongguk and Seokmin followed suit, their supernatural powers coming in at the same time. Just on different occasions. Jeongguk woke up with pointed ears and a fluffy tail, howling in panic. And Seokmin, well Seokmin managed to catch someone’s pants on fire, and laughed the entire time it happened, right up until he was sent home, Mrs. Jeon infuriated because she was the one to pick him up. Mrs. Lee was busy at work, so while trying to calm down a half wolf boy, she had a pyrotechnic on her hands.

 

It was after his eleventh birthday, that he got the letter. In an argument with his mother, with a screaming smaller sister in her arms, Vernon managed to cause tornadic weather in his neighborhood.

 

His letter came three days later, and his mother couldn’t get him out of the house faster.

 

\--

 

Jongin is the one to help him through Diagon Alley, the shops and crowds overwhelm Vernon so much he actually had to hide for a solid ten minutes. Choosing his wand at Ollivanders freaked him out the most. He leaves the shop with a Veela hair core wand, the oak that’s fused with it is stained dark, and the metal works on the handle curl around toward the middle. It speaks to him, he thinks, which is quite strange, but from what the shopkeeper, one Minseok Kim, and explained to him, is that it’s quite a good thing. Communication, especially in a positive light like Vernon was experiencing, was a Very Good thing.

 

Next, is his animal of choice. According to Jongin, Professor Junmyeon will allow almost any animal, just as long as they’re no larger than a common household pet. Vernon chose a young python, who he wouldn’t leave the store without. Jongin asked why not one of the owls or the cats, to which Vernon dismissed with a wave of his hand and complained that they were too noisy, which was true. His head was pounding from the hooting and hissing. He wants a quiet companion.

 

After he’s all packed up, it’s the train ride that kills him. Not only was he almost late, thanks to Jongin’s misdirection and they got lost on the way there, but it seemed forever and a day long.

 

He fell asleep on the seat, stretched out with Luisa, his wonderful snake, in her cage on his belly. Jongin reads his book, until the school comes into view, then he nudges Vernon awake, ‘Vernon-ah, it’s time to wake up,’ his accented Korean is still a little funny to Vernon, not that he finds it funny to make Jongin laugh at him, but he’s not used to it. When Vernon met he and Chanyeol nearly two years ago, they stuck to speaking English, since Jongin wasn’t used to Korean.  _ My parents refused to speak it when we moved to Ireland, _ he remembers Jongin telling him while they were looking through shops.  _ I grew up without it, so it never really bothered me, but when most of the professors use it here, since they are predominantly Asian, it makes me feel like a dumbass. _ Vernon snorted at that. He felt the same way when he forced English into his life.

 

_ I could get lost in here, and no one will know, _ is the first thought Vernon has walking up the steps into the Great Hall once he arrived. The first years crowd around him, and a friendly face with the name Seungkwan Boo to match sticks to his and Luisa’s side into the Great Hall. Seungkwan looks as nervous as Vernon feels. He sees Minghao from afar, Jeongguk and Seokmin flank either side of them, coated in black, green and grey. He doesn’t get to shout two words to his friends before the newcomers are ushered to a large oak table in the middle of the Hall.

 

They eat. And boy do they eat. Vernon fills up his plate twice (a little startled that food reappears when there is a low supply), and Seungkwan is on his dessert plate when the tinkling of a knife on a goblet can be heard through the Hall. All is silent. Vernon takes a small sip of delicious spiced pumpkin juice from his goblet. A man, no older than Jongin, dark hair peppered with blonde highlights stands at a silver altar decorated with jeweled aquatic life, the eye catching piece is the merman and woman wrapped around the altar, holding the flat side of the stand up. ‘Good evening,’ he smiles, and it’s dazzling, ‘For those of you new, I’m sure this is overwhelming, but do not be disturbed, it will all pass.’ He chuckles. ‘I am Professor Junmyeon Kim, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is my honour, and my pleasure to have this feast for those returning, and the new additions.’ There’s clapping and whistling in the hall, to this Junmyeon laughs, and holds his hands up, the rowdiness calms. ‘Now, let’s get these students sorted into their houses, so we can all go to our beds and rest. It’s been a tiring day for all of us.’ Chanyeol shoots a look at Jongin, who just smiles and rolls his eyes, getting up from his seat beside the creature expert to disappear behind a corridor. He’s followed by another man when he comes out, brilliant red hair and geared up in knee pads and elbow pads alike, holding a stereotypical witches had that’d be found in a costume store. Junmyeon bows his head. ‘Thank you Hoseok, you and Jongin go have a seat please.’

 

Hoseok sits next to a smaller man, platinum blonde hair pushed up, and a scowl written on his face. Arms crossed around his torso, leaning back in his chair, observing. Junmyeon gives a brief explanation of how this process will work.

 

Names are called immediately and the hat shouts names of  _ Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw  _ or _ Slytherin  _ back. This confuses Vernon, but he gathers that he’ll be sorted into the same house as Minghao, so all is well. They’re best friends, they have to be in the same house together, can’t they? Seungkwan’s name is one of the first ones announced. The poor boy looks scared shitless. He stands in front of Junmyeon, facing the Hall, and as soon as the hat sits on his head, aloud  _ Slytherin _ can be heard from the room. The Slytherin house goes nuts, and Seungkwan smiles at the attention. The man next to Hoseok smirks.

 

Vernon starts to have Thoughts. What if he doesn’t get in the same house as Minghao? Then he won’t be able to see his best friend at all for seven plus years. He might go crazy. What if people start to not like them here, like they did at his old institution? Then what? His mind is so frazzled, he doesn’t hear his own name.

 

‘Vernon Choi?’ Vernon shoots up, and Minghao and Jeongguk whoop in unison. Seokmin whistles. A hard look from the man to Hoseok’s right shuts them up, and Vernon laughs a little too hard walking up to Junmyeon. He bows politely, and Junmyeon has this knowing twinkle in his eye. The hat sits on his head for a few moments, talking to itself, and Vernon wants to say he wants to be in Slytherin, to be with his best friend, but a bellow of  _ Gryffindor _ rips him out of his thoughts. He’s torn. He can’t be in Gryffindor, not when Minghao and he are destined to be together until the end! This is preposterous, when he turns to Junmyeon, he sees Jongin gripping his shoulder, ushering him to the table covered in gold and ruby. He’s still having a mental breakdown, not hearing Minghao and Seokmin’s shouts of how proud they are of him for getting into a fantastic house and Jeongguk’s screeching.

 

‘Hey,’ a gentle voice pulls him from his thoughts. ‘Seungcheol, third year, it’s a pleasure to have you in our house.’ His smile is as gentle as his deep voice and Vernon smiles back. ‘Professor Jongin takes good care of us, so does our Prefect, Kyungsoo.’ Seungcheol points to a shaved headed boy with a heart shaped smile, much like Hoseok’s.

 

\--

 

After getting settled in his shared room, Vernon goes for a nightly walk, something he often does when he has too much on his mind. He gets lost, the lantern he holds only burn so bright, but the professor on the opposite side of the corridor has a light brighter than his. ‘Child,’ it’s the man who sat with Hoseok earlier. ‘It’s the middle of the night, not to mention you’re near the wrong house. Opposite sides actually.’  _ Yoongi Min _ is what Seungcheol told him earlier, Dark Arts teacher, not as cold as he appears to be, apparently.

 

‘I apologise professor, I couldn’t sleep.’ Yoongi raises his eyebrow.

 

‘I’m surprised, a lot of first years are out on their first day.’ Vernon shrugs and smiles sadly.

 

‘Too much on my mind,’ 

 

Yoongi reflects his sad smile and sighs, scratching at the ink covering his left pectoral. ‘Why don’t we have some tea, and we’ll talk about it.’

 

His office is warmer than the hallways, the same green and silver motif throughout the small room. Vernon holds the mug in his hand, and tells out his thoughts to the professor, who listens intently.

 

‘I think, Mr, Choi, that need not worry about not seeing Mr. Wu, you’ll see him more than you think,’ Yoongi smirks playfully, he removes the empty mug from Vernon’s hand and places it on his desk, nudging the young student out of his office quickly, ‘Now let’s get you back to bed before Jongin has my head. I don’t need him nagging at me no more than he already does.’ Vernon smiles at Yoongi’s comment, and lets the professor escort him back to the entrance to the Gryffindor common rooms.

 

‘Thank you Professor Yoongi, this meant a lot to me, for someone to listen.’ Yoongi scratches the back of his bare neck (Vernon is still baffled that he’s not freezing in just a pair of cotton pants) and coughs awkwardly.

 

‘It’s nothing really, Seokkie tells me that I listen better than I give advice.’ Before Vernon can ask who his Seokkie is, Yoongi walks up to the painting, poking the sleeping woman awake. She grumpily curses, only to blush and apologise to Yoongi, who again smirks and prompts Vernon for the password.

 

Vernon gets a little bit of restful sleep that night.

 

\--

 

Breakfast is served  at dawn, and Vernon wants to murder the entire world. Whoever thought that breakfast should be served when the sun rises needs to rethink their life choices. 

 

What he doesn’t expect, is his three friends bombarding him in the Great Hall entrance. ‘We’re excited you’re here Vernon-ah!’ Jeongguk shouts in rapid Korean, and Vernon feels smothered.

 

‘You’re not upset I’m not in the same house as you?’ He feels panicky.

 

‘Never! All houses are good houses, they’re just determined by our personality and traits. I honestly can say I can’t imagine you being is something other than Gryffindor, Vernon,’ Minghao’s words hit home, and Vernon pulls his friends into a tighter hug.

 

‘Promise me we’ll never separate, you guys won’t leave me behind, even if we are in different houses, different life paths.’

 

‘Never, we’re friends through and through,’


End file.
